A Southwest Florida Water Management District poster shows how sinkholes are formed.

Tragic and weird news out of Florida is nothing new, but the sinkhole that opened near Tampa and sucked a man in bed into the earth was bizarre even by Florida standards.

Jeff Bush, 36, is thought to have died in the abyss that opened beneath him in the middle of the night.

The sinkhole, which was 20 feet by 20 feet at the surface, consumed part of the interior of the Seffner home but left the exterior strangely unscathed. Authorities estimate that underground it is far larger, perhaps 100 feet across.

Sinkholes are common in Florida, and caused by a collapse of the porous limestone that lies beneath top soil in much of the state. Sometimes they suck down roads or even houses, but usually there is enough time for people to realize what’s going on and get out of the way.

Vincent Carroll is The Denver Post's editorial page editor. He has been writing commentary on politics and public policy in Colorado since 1982 and was originally with the Rocky Mountain News, where he was also editor of the editorial pages until that newspaper gave up the ghost in 2009.

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